There is a unique relationship between comic books and Tarot, as they both embody sequential storytelling using symbolic art and natural language. Referencing several comic book series, including sequences from instructor B. Earl’s Deadly Neighborhood Spider-Man, Daredevil and Echo, and Werewolf by Night, we will explore how the two seemingly disconnected art forms actually flow from the same fountain.
Superhero comics in particular entered the mainstream in the mid-1900s and really found their stride in the 1960s with series such as The Fantastic Four, The X-Men, and of course Spider-Man. This was also around the same time that Tarot began to enter into the popular mainstream with counter-culture communities engaging “new age” ideas. Humans have always needed stories, but as science began to more deeply explore the psyche with luminaries such as Carl Jung, science and stories began to emerge with archetypes that helped people better understand themselves. Comic books, especially superhero comics, have always explored these archetypes that are ever-present in Tarot’s Major Arcana.
The obvious difference between the two is that a comic book is a curated series of panels telling a specific story through the lens of the author and artist, while a Tarot spread is a seemingly random series of panels that becomes a mirror for the querent. This modular storytelling system allows for the Self to more deeply intuit meaning through the cards’ random articulation. Unlike comic books, it is up to the reader to interpret the story through the spread of the panels.
In this lecture we will take sequences from specific comic books and peel back the layers to better understand the intention of the creative team. By understanding this form of sequential storytelling, we will then apply this same technique to different configurations of Tarot spreads. This unique method of storytelling will allow us to use the symbols and keys provided by Tarot to unlock stories not only in comic books, but also in our everyday lives.
Please, note:
- the total duration of the event is 1 hour ( ~ 50mins lecture and 10mins Q&A)
- the talk doesn’t require any prior training and anyone can join
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SPEAKER – B. EARL
B.Earl is an American comic book writer and filmmaker who lives in Los Angeles. He has been working with Marvel Entertainment since 2017, co writing Masters of the Sun, Werewolf by night, Ghostrider: Kushala, Deadly neighbourhood spider-man and most recently Daredevil and Echo. Earl also contributed to the MARVEL #1000 anthology. Currently, he is writing a sci-fi graphic novel for the video game Planetquest as well as a superhero series to launch his new Saudi creative studio, WeirdBunch Entertainment.
As a filmmaker, Earl is directing the upcoming hip-hop documentary Balistyx as well as developing several scripted projects with the production company, Gaumont. B.Earl is also a well-known voice in the emerging technology space, speaking on digital collectibles and A.I. strategy, working alongside such companies as Sideshow Collectibles and Peer Music. When
not working as a storyteller or tech consultant, he can be found teaching Tarot workshops and running esoteric game nights at LA’s Philosophical Research Society.
LinkedIn | Marvel Books | Website | IG: @b.earlwriter
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